Never give up Hope
by Dorka
Summary: Bill visits Laura on New Caprica.


Title: 'Never Give Up Hope'

Author: Dorka

Spoiler: It's placed between events in Lay down your Burdens II´

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: I especially want to thank Sidhe for betareading my story! I'm not native-english speaking... but I hope it's readable nevertheless ;)

It had been over one year - one really long year – since the last time he saw her. He could remember exactly that last moment, when she tried to be strong enough not to cry, before she left the Galactica 380 days ago. He still couldn't really understand why she didn't want to stay on his ship. The rough life on Caprica had already claimed 10,000 people, and Baltar still didn't care!

He sometimes asked himself if it wouldn't have been better to let Laura be the President against the will of the people.

Now he, Admiral William Adama, would be nearly the only one left on his ship. He just told Saul to go down to New Caprica join his wife Ellen. Bill himself has never been down to that planet. Hearing the stories was already bad enough, but now that his XO was going, he wanted to go down there at least for a few hours. He wanted to see her with his own eyes, wanted to know how she really was. The letters she wrote him from time to time were nice, but no substitute for the living, breathing Laura. Even those were rather formal and informative than personal.

He flew down with the Colonel. "Bill, I don't think that I will like it down there – are you really sure you don't want to have me on the Galactica?"

"I told you. There's no need. And I'm sure Ellen wants to see you," he winked.

Their transport ship finally landed and the doors opened. Like they excepted, Ellen was waiting for them, first kissing Saul and then giving Bill a big hug. As they walked outside, Bill realised that New Caprica was exactly how Laura described it. Grey, cold, wet and foggy. And that it was like that for the whole year, without big changes and no sunshine.

The people on the streets were staring at them. Everyone still knew who they were. Now they looked wishfully at them, remembering older, better times. It was heartbreaking for him to see the last people who remained of human kind in that kind of state. His anger towards Baltar grew more every second. They would have had a real chance to reach Earth within this year. It would have been Paradise compared to this big mud-hole.

He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't even hear Ellen calling out his name.

"Bill!"

"Yes, sorry, Ellen, you were saying?" he excused himself.

"I bet you wanted to meet our former president!" she told him directly with a grin on her lips.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I came to see her!"

"Well then just go down this street, and turn left. There's a big tent, you can't miss it. She's normally there at this time!"

"Thank you...both of you!" He said goodbye to his friends and left them alone, heading to Laura.

Ellen was right, he couldn't miss it. He already heard her voice from the outside.

"... and so the 12 Colonies were named after the star-constellations which could be found on the 13th colony, Earth."

Bill stepped inside. He couldn't see her eyes yet, because he entered the door which was located behind her back, but already seeing her waterfall-like hair made him feel comfortable again.

"Can anyone name me all the 12 Colonies?" she asked her class, which was crowded with kids that were around 10 years old.

Laura looked different, not the formal business-suite lady any more, with the grey warm pullover and the jeans she had on. He had to admit himself, that he very much liked her this way. The children were all too busy staring at him to answer her question.

"No one?" she asked with a friendly voice. "Catherine, honey, do you want give it a try?" Catherine, obviously the blonde girl in the first row stood up.

"Madam Roslin, I think this man is waiting for you!" With that, she pointed out one finger at the Admiral.

"Who...?" Laura asked while turning around.

For a long moment neither of them said anything. They just looked at each other. Laura was more than surprised. She had waited for this too long, and now she could hardly believe he was actually there in her classroom.

The children began to giggle behind her, which brought her back into reality and stopped her from thinking all those thoughts and questions running through her mind. She turned her focus on the children again.

"What do you think, if we finish school 5 minutes earlier today?" The children, of course, were very excited about the news. "Okay, then you can go now! Have a nice day, and don't forget your mathematics homework!"

She watched the children leave. The room emptied surprisingly fast. Only then Laura turned around again facing Bill.

"Hello, Laura." She felt a little shiver going through her body hearing his soft, deep voice.

"You're really here, aren't you?" She still couldn't entirely believe it.

They closed the gap between them and pulled into a hug. Laura buried her face into Bill's shoulder. He felt that she was relaxing for the first time since moving to the planet in that moment. They both were relaxing. Laura lifted her head again and looked into his eyes.

"I'm so glad you are here, Bill. Many things changed since the last time. I wasn't sure you would ever come to visit us!"

"I know." Bill breathed in the familiar scent of her hair.

"Uhm...do you want something to drink?" she left his arms. "I'm afraid we are out of ambrosia, the only thing I have left is coffee."

"Coffee is perfect."

She nodded. "Okay, my tent is just on the other side."

He offered his arm to her and they stepped out into the rain, crossed the street and entered a much smaller tent. The room was more practically furnished. The only things that were different were the children-made pictures on the walls.

"I couldn't really get it homelike yet. I guess I also didn't really want it to be home!"

"Well, I still like the drawings."

"Hmm... the children are really very nice. I love teaching them!"

"I think you are a great teacher. They looked at you like a goddess!"

Laura sighed. "I love teaching, really, but I still can't forget being a president. I knew Baltar was the worst person for this position. I first thought it was because of the Cylons, but now he even succeeded in screwing this whole thing up without them! 10,000 people died, Bill... in only one year, and he doesn't even care about it! " She restlessly shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Bill looked down to the floor.

"I know. Not a day goes by that I don't doubt our...my decision to admit that the election was a fake. I shouldn't have talked you into giving up just like that."

Laura watched his face filling with guilt.

"Bill, don't do that to yourself! You remember on Kobol, you said that our decisions were good when we made them and they still are. I think that also counts now. We made that decision and we don't know what would have happened during last year. Maybe the gods want us to remain here. Maybe with this whole thing," with that she rose her arms, "the people will hold on together even more, get new energy to fight. Maybe the Cylons would have killed us all already. We will never know!"

Slowly a smile was building around his lips.

"You know, that's what I missed the most. The conversations with you!"

"Me, too, Bill...plus your comfortable couch in your room!" They both laughed at that.

"Oh, I wanted to make coffee! I nearly forgot!" She pulled out the supplies and began warming up water. "You know it's not the best, but at least it got caffeine in it."

She poured two glasses and handed him one. They sat down at the small table. There were school works lying on it, which Laura hurried to collect and place on her bed.

"Sorry about the mess. I wasn't quite expecting anyone."

He grabbed her hand and stroked it softly to calm her down a bit.

"How are you?" he asked her.

"I haven't gotten sick yet, so I think I'm fine," she answered half-heartedly.

"I didn't mean that... that sounds like one of those letters you used to send me!"

She sighed. "I made a few friends here. Maya helps me with my classes, so I also can keep a better eye on Isis. I'm spending most of the day teaching, and when I'm not, I'm preparing for the next day's classes. The planet doesn't offer many chances for free time activities."

He nodded understanding. "And how is Kara?"

Laura's mood mended. "She and Anders make a great couple together. I think they truly love each other. We should be happy for her... I know you are more concerned because of Lee."

"How did you know about Lee?"

"I could see it in his eyes when he was watching her. I guess it just wasn't the right time for those two then!"

"I think he's still in love with her. He's got Dee now, but somehow I can see that blankness in his eyes from time to time."

He was still holding her hand which felt warm.

"I missed you, Laura!"

She looked at him, quite surprised. It sounded so honest that her heart started beating faster. As hard as she tried to ignore it she couldn't. She couldn't even deny those long hours she was staring up into the sky, searching for the Galactica, thinking about him. What he was doing, what he was feeling in that moment.

"There's no day that I don't think of you," he continued while bringing her hand to his mouth, planting a tender kiss on it.

For a long moment, they just looked into each other's eyes until Laura felt that if she didn't break away now, they were going to get a lot closer. She wasn't sure if she could deal with that. Getting closer to each other and then watching him leave. Being alone again. Feeling this hole in her heart.

"How long will you stay?"

Bill sighed.

"My shuttle leaves in half an hour."

Laura closed her eyes by that shock.

"I hoped you'd stay a little longer," she finally whispered.

"I know, but I can't leave my team alone there for too long!"

Her weak smile failed in the effort not to look too disappointed. She knew that, so she tried to change the topic.

"Uh...Any interesting new rumors from the Galactica?"

"Well, there's not too much. We are trying to keep the Galactica working...again. I thought I'd be through with that since I spent so many years making sure the ship was in perfect condition! Baltar leaves us with nearly nothing, so we aren't really up to date."

She jumped up, wandering around in that little tent. "I seriously can't imagine what Baltar is doing all day! Staring at those leather chairs while people are dying. HE was the one who told me that human kind will die out within 18 years if we continue like this. I even renounced my own ideals and made abortion a criminal action!" She paused. "I'm sorry...but I keep telling myself it's not my problem, but it doesn't really work! I just feel that it's the wrong thing to be here!"

He rose to his feet and stepped in front of her to touch her chin gently.

"And I can feel that we will reach Earth one day. Maybe not in the near future, but we will!"

"Thank you!" she whispered. "I really needed that!"

"Oh, before I forget..." he reminded himself, pulled out a small box from his pocket, and gave it to her. "I had some time, so I made you this." She opened the box. Within there was a black stone pendant. It was moulded to an oval form with a hole in the middle.

"I collected the stone at the tomb of Athena on Kobol. I formed it a bit. It looks a bit more wearable now. I thought of it as a symbol, so that we never forget what happened there, and that Earth IS real!"

Laura was speechless. She stared at it for a long time, before she looked into his eyes.

"I love it!" she said with tear filled eyes.

He took the pendant from her hands and stepped behind her to pull it around her neck. She could feel his breath on her neck moving her hair. She turned around facing him. She didn't care about holding back her feelings now. Maybe being even more lonely after he left was better than never be able to get nearer to him. Their lips were so close that Laura only had to lean forward slightly to meet his.

What started as a soft, tender kiss was getting more and more passionate. She pulled her hands around his neck. His strong arms moved around her waist, pressing her against him. They were already drifting to the point of no return, when Bill broke the kiss. Both were breathing heavily but smiling at each other.

"I don't know how I will ever manage to leave you in 20 minutes after this!" Bill said. Laura stroked back a wisp of hair from his forehead.

"I wish I could go with you, but my place is here! I'm the only teacher left!"

"I know," he kissed her forehead. "C'mon, let's go, or I really won't be able to leave you!"

They both grabbed their coats and headed for the landing bay, holding hands. His shuttle was already waiting.

"Take care of yourself, okay? I don't know what I'd do if something would happen to you!"

"Same goes for you, Bill!"

Now it was Bill who leaned down and kissed her. It lasted longer than a simple kiss goodbye.

"And you know, Laura. Never give up hope!"

When Bill stepped inside the ship, Laura still could feel his lips on hers. They didn't say the magic three words to each other. They both knew it was there, but they also knew that it would be even harder to be separated again if they had spoken it out loud. Her hand closed around her pendant with a little smile. He would be back, she knew that.

3 hours later on the Galactica.

"There's nothing we can do. It's taken us forever just to get to action stations over here. We're in no shape for a fight, sir."

He knew that his son was right. But he also knew that there were 39,000 people waiting for their help. Most of all, there was Laura waiting on this planet for his help. He couldn't leave her just like that, but if they don't leave now, there would be an even bigger chance for them to be wiped out. He had to make a decision.

"Begin jump preparations. We're leaving. But we'll be back."

He closed his eyes during the jump. As soon as they'll get into better condition, he would come back and rescue her, that he swore to himself.


End file.
